Sera’s POV
Still Moon Pack, Werewoods, Norrwick
The dreaded day is here.
The day I appear before the alphas and the Council as Alpha of the Still Moon Pack.
Lots of people would like to see me fail my first appearance.
Many await an opening to swoop in and claim my Pack for themselves.
Glancing at my outfit in the mirror makes me wonder if I am making the right choice.
I am wearing a casual black top and grey pants. I aim for a relaxed, effortless look; this outfit should do the trick. My green eyes reflect through the mirror, and I wonder how I would survive the scrutiny of everyone.
Today is the mating festival, and I must appear before everyone as the Alpha of my Pack.
I exit my room to go downstairs for my meal and meet Millie, my Beta, on my way down.
“Morning, Millie,” I said as I smiled, sitting at the table.
“Good morning, you mean?” She stares at me in disapproval, arms akimbo.
“There is nothing good about mornings, especially not today of all days,” I said as I reached for a bread slice.
Unlike Mille, I am not a morning person.
Mille rolls her eyes in exasperation. “It’s just a mating hunt and not a monster. Besides, your mission is not to find a mate. Those people are the ones to worry.”
We burst into laughter.
The mating hunt is an infamous event in the Werewoods. Future alphas or mateless alphas come to choose from selected shifters, their potential mate.
The event has yielded a few mated peers. The Council expects mateless alphas to attend. And since my mate is dead, I am considered a mateless alpha.
My attendance is even more critical since I hope to stabilize my position.
Mille looks at me in concern. “You know you have nothing to worry about. You are a great Alpha. This Pack is lucky to have you, no matter what others or the Shifter Council think.”
Mille has always been a pillar of strength. She stood as a shoulder to cry on when my parents and brother died in the battle with former Beta Ralf, which almost destroyed the Pack.
She helped me hold up pack duties and care for my baby siblings when I got overwhelmed and just wanted to cry in some corner. I feel incredibly fortunate to have her.
“I know that, but I can’t help but worry. The Council does not care what the Pack thinks. Once they find a cause for concern, they won’t hesitate to assign the Pack to another alpha. We both know many alphas have their eyes on my Pack.” I said in frustration.
The Shifter Council oversees the Werewoods and protects each Pack. It’s a collection of highly successful and influential retired alphas. The Council has five elders, only one of which is female.
This makes my situation even more challenging.
The recent bouts of territorial wars in the Werewoods have alerted the Council. The Council tries to ensure the safety of pack members in the wars and minimize the casualties.
This danger places my Pack, weak from recent wars, under much scrutiny.
“The Werewoods is a small place. Alphas want to expand their packs, and we look like easy prey to them.”
In the Werewoods, power is king. Pack ranking was determined by strength, and any sign of weakness was dangerous. Our dwindling number and lack of a male leader is news to Alphas like Lucian, who are obsessed with expanding their packs.